North
Carolina statutes require that those insurance plans covering services which are
within the scope of practice of a "duly licensed psychologist" (1)
shall permit the insured or beneficiary to choose the provider (including a
psychologist), and (2) shall provide payment of or reimbursement for such care
or service.After January 1, 1995,
a "duly licensed psychologist" is defined as "a licensed
psychologist who holds permanent licensure and certification as a health
services provider psychologist issued by the North Carolina Psychology
Board".It is important to
point out that licensure does not automatically guarantee reimbursement
eligibility with all insurance companies.A
licensee should contact the individual companies regarding their specific
policies regarding reimbursement eligibility, the procedure for obtaining a
provider number, etc.